Call-distributing system



W. T. EASTWOOD CALL DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM Filfid Sept. 27, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet l Posmon"'3 poslTuom'z.

POSITION" NVENTOR WAR REN T. EASTWOOD.

ATTORNEY LINE ll Lmimso UNE w. T. EASTWOOD CALL msnuaunnc SYSTEM Filed Sept. 27, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WARREN T. E ASTWOOD ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES oFFlcE.

WARREN T. EASTWOOD, OF ROCHESTER, NE -JV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE STROMBERG- I OAELSON TELEPHONE MANUFACTURING A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK,

CALL-DISTRIBUTING SYSTEDI.

Application filed September 27, 1920. Serial No. 413,081.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, l/VARREN T. EAST- woon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Call Distributing Systems (Case 80), of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to telephone systems, and more particularly to the distribution of telephone calls to operators.

It has been proposed to distribute telephone calls to idle operators at a telephone exchange in order that the work of completing telephone connections manually may be uniformly distributed among all the operators, thereby providing the maximum eiiiciency of operat ng labor. In previous arrangements it has been necessary to proride mechanical switches which are not only expensive, but difficult to install and to maintain in operation.

The present invention proposes to use the equipment already installed in present manual exchanges without any automatic switches but with such modifications in the operating circuits that these exchanges will allord the economy in labor achieved by the complicated and expensive mechanical call distributing systems employing automatic switches.

In accordance with the present invention it is proposed to terminate each subscribers line in multiple jacks at a plurality of operators positions. A plurality of lamps are also provided at each opera-tors position to indicate to the operator which line is calling, and the operator handling the call will insert the answering plug of an idle cord circuit into the multiple jack of the calling line to complete the connection manually.

The main feature of this invention is to distribute calls to operators by the lighting of several signal lamps corresponding to the des gnation of the calling line at the operators position to which this call is assigned.

Another feature of the invention is the indication of the number or designation of the. calling line by means of a plurality of lamps, these lamps being lighted by the oped to idle operators positions.

I eration of the calling subscriber in initiatmg a call. 7

In the drawings, Fig. 1 represents a portion of a telephone system employing the present invention. At the extreme left of this figure there are represented tour telephone lines, the substation apparatus of which has been omitted. These lines each terminate in multiple line jacks at the exchange. At the right-hand side of this figure is represented a portion of the equipment associated with three operators positions. The showing of position 3 is abbreviated, but it will be understood to be simi lar to that shown at position 2. Fig. 2 is a modified arrangement in which the line relays of Fig. 1 have been replaced by a smaller number of multi-contact relays, as will be further described. Fig. 3 represents several sections of a switchboard for use with the circuits of Figs. 1 and 2, in which switchboard one possible arrangement of the line contacts and the line lamps is shown.

In this description reference will be made to multi-contact relays, the structure of which may be similar to any of the well known multi-contact relays now inuse. In the drawings certain of the contacts of these multi-contact relays are shown apart from the relays which control them, but in each case these contacts bear a desgnation which will indicate the relay by which they are controlled.

The telephone lines of this system are arranged in groups. The number of these lines in each group will be determined by trafiic, but for the purpose of this disclosure it is assumed that each of the groups con tains 100 telephone lines.

At the exchange there is provided a se ries of groups of relays as 11, 14, 16, and 47, 71, 72 and 73 which are operated one group after the other in rotation so that the groups of l'nes are successively connect- For example, in a 1000 line system the lines of the one hundreds group are associated with an idle operators position. Thereafter the lines of the two hundreds, three hundreds and the remaining hundreds groups are associated in succession with idle operators pos'tions, and after the tenth hundred group has been associated with an .dle operators position, then the first hundred is again associated with an idle operators position and the cycle of operation continues indefinitely.

An idle operators position .s normally alloted to receive all the calls originatingin that interval of time in a group of 100 lines, and as soon as the allotted operators position is engaged a series circuit arrangement allots a second idle operators pos tion for the next group of calls to be originated. After all the operators positions have been used, a circuit is completed for rendering all the operators positions available for use, and the operators positions are again allctted for use, one at a time, in rotation.

lt is bel eved that the invention will best be understood by describing the method of distributing calls to operators. Let it be assumed that the calling subscriber whose line number is 1150 and one of whose line jacks is designated 10, originates a call by removing his receiver from its sw tchhook. In the course of the operation of the system the relay 11, which is common to all the lines of the 1100 group, will be operated in a circuit extending from grounded bat-- tery, Winding of the relay 11, conductor 68, upper back contact and armature of relay 1st and contact of relays similar to 16 and 70 or the preceding group of relays to ground. Simultaneously with the energ ration of relay 11, the slow releasing relay to is operated in a circuit closed from grounded battery, its winding, and contacts of the mentioned relays similar to 16 and 70 to ground, and in turn operates slow releasing relay 70.

Shortly after the operation of relay 16 its operating circuit is opened and it deenergizes, but in the interval beiiore relay 7 0 retracts its armature a circuit is closed from ground, armature and back contact of relay 16, armature and front contact of slow releasing relay 70, armature and back contact of relay 71, conductor 6 winding of group relay 17 to grounded battery. A circuit in multiple of that just described is closed for relay 72, and this last named relay effects the operation of relay 73 to continue the cycle of operation. The operation of relay l1 closes a circuit from grounded battery, its upper contact and armature, winding of the line relay 12, inner armature and back Contact of the cut-oil relay 13, lower side of the calling subscribers line, through the substation apparatus not shown), over the upper side of this line. outer back contact and armature of cutoli relay 13 to ground. The line relay 12 is actuated in this circuit andcompletes an operating circuit for relay 25. from grounded battery, winding; of this relay, conductor 79, armature and front contact of relay 12 to ground. Relay 25 when operated closes a second energizing circuit for relay 16 over conductors 78 and as long as relay 11 is actuated.

Let it be assumed that position #1 has been assigned to receive a call. Under this assumption the multi-contact relay 17 of this position is actuated to closeits contacts The circuit for this multi-contact relay will be closed from grounded battery, winding of this relav, right-hand back contact and armature orrelay 18, contact 19 of the operators position barring key, conductor 20, back contact and armature of the slow releasing relay 21, contacts of key 22 to ground.

With the multi-contact relay operated, its contacts 23 and 24 are closed. Therefore as soon as group of relays such as 16 and next preceding in the chain are closed and relay 25 operated, relays '26 and 27 will be operated to light the lamps corresponding to the calling line. Relay 26 is actuated in a circuit closed from grounded battery, its right hand winding, contact 23 of the multiconta'ct relay of that position, upper contact and armature of relay 14, contacts of the relays similar to 16 and 70 to ground. The relay 2'? is operated in a circuit closed from grounded battery, its right hand winding, contacts 24- of relay 17, inner right hand contact and armature of relay 25 to ground. As soon as relay 27 is operated it closes a locking circuit for itself, a lighting circuit for lamp 33, and an energizing circuit for the relay 28; this circuit extending from grounded battery, left hand winding, contact and armature of relay 27, winding of rclay28, backcontact and armature of slow releasing relay '29 to ground. With the relay 28 operated, a locking circuit is closed for relay 26 and in multiple therewith a circuit for lighting the lamp 30. This circuit is completed from grounded battery, winding of the relay 14, left hand winding, contact and armature of relay 26, and front contact and armature of relay 28 to ground. Relay 14; is also held operated in this circuit until the operator at position #1 answers, to prevent the eleven hundreds group of lines from being extended to another position.

The lighting of the lamp 30 indicates that the call originated in the eleventh hundred group of lines, and the lamp 33 indicates that the tens and units designation of the calling line is 50. The operator thereupon knows that the calling line is #1150 and in serts the answering plug 32 of an idle cord circuit into the multiple jack 10 of the calling line, ascertains the wanted line and proceeds to complete the call manually. In the course of the operation of the system when the listening relay 34 of the cord circuit taken for use is operated to connect this operators telephone set to the calling line, a

circuit is closed from ground, armature and contact of the listening relay 34 and Winding of relay 35 to ground. Relay 35 is operated in this circuit, and at its outer right hand armature it completes a temporary circuit for the relay 28 and at its inner right hand armature and front contact closes a circuit for the slow releasing relay 29, and this last named relay interrupts the original circuit for the relay 28. Wl1en the listening relay 34 deenergizes, the relay 35 immediately retracts its armatures, but the relay 29 is slow to release its armature so that the ell-- ergizing circuit for the relay 28 is open both at the contacts 29 and 35. As soon as the locking circuit of relay 27 is broken, it immediately retracts its armature since the contacts 24 of the multi-contact relay 17 are opened, and When the relay 28 deenergizes it opens the locking circuit of relay 26. At this time the original ener izing circuit of relay 26 is open at the contacts 23 of the multi-contact relay 17, so that relay 26 becomes inert.

It Will be noted that if several calls originated in the same group at approximately the same time, these calls will be assigned to the same operator. For example, if the line herein referred to as #1151.initia;ed a call at the same time as line #1150, When the relay 11 common to this group of lines operates, circuits are closed for the relay-25 at the line relay 12 of line #1150, and for relay 37 at the line relay 38 of line #1151. Relay 25 controls the actuation of relay 27 and its associated lamp 33 which is the tens and units lamp #50. Relay 37 controls the operation of the relay 39 and its associated lamp 40 which is the tens and units lamp #51.

As soon as the allotted position Which it has been assumed is the first position is taken for use and its associated relay 28 is operated in the manner previously described, a circuit is closed for the relay 18 which extends the series allotting circuit to assign another idle position for use. The relay 18 is energized through its right hand Winding in a circuit controlled at armature of relay .28, and when relay 18 is operated it closes a locking circuit for itself through its left hand Winding, contact and armature, con ductor 20 to ground at relay 21. The relay 18 attracts its armatures, and at its right hand armature and back contact opens the original energizing circuit for the lnllllll contact relay 17, Which in turn causes relay 41 to deenergize and at its right hand front contact and armature extends the conductor 20 through the back contact and armature of the slow releasing relay 41, conductor 42, contacts of operators position-barring key 43, right hand armature and back contact of relay 44, Winding of the multi-contact relay 45 of position 2, to

grounded battery. The relay 45 is ei1ergized in this circuit and attracts its armatures in the manner previously described for relay 17. Atthe left hand armature and contact of relay 45, the slow releasing relay 46 has its operating circuit closed to inter rupt the energizing circuit for the multi-contact relay (not shown) of position #3. The next group of calls Will therefore light line designating lamps at position #2.

Let it be assumed that line #1251 originates a call at this time. When the group relay 47 of the twelve hundred group is operated at the time When the subscriber Whose line is designated 1251 has initiated a call, a circuit is closed from grounded loattery, upper contact and armature of relay 47, Winding of the line relay 48, inner arma ture and back contact of the cut-off relay 49, through the calling subscribers line and substation circuit, hack contact and armature of cut-0E relay 49 to ground. The line relay 48 is actuated in this circuit and at its armature and back contact closes a circuit over conductor 80 from ground for operating the relay 37. Relay 37 on operation completes a circuitfor the relay 50 from grounded battery, through the right hand Winding of this relay, through contacts 51 of the multi-co-ntact relay 45, conductor 52, inner front contact and armature of relay 37 to ground. The relay 50 attracts its armatures and closes a locking circuit for itself from grounded battery, its left hand Winding, front contact and armature, Winding of relay 53, back contact and armature of slow releasing relay 54 to ground. The relay 53 is operated in this circult, and at its armature and contact completes a circuit for energizing the relay 44, Which relay on energization closes a locking circuit for itself through its left hand Winding, contact and armature, over conductor 20 to ground. When relay 53 attracts its armature, the relay 74 Which Was operated in multiple With group relay 47, is locked operated in a circuit closed from grounded battery, winding of relay 71, left hand Winding, front contact and armature of relay 74, front contact and armature of relay 53 to ground. A, branch of this circuit operates the twelve hundreds lamp 7 5. On the energization of the relay 44, the operating circuit of relay 45 is inter rupted andthis relay deenergizes. A short interval thereafter the slow releasing relay 46 Which is controlled by the multi-contact relay 45, deenergizes to allot position #3 for use.

The operator at position #2 notes that line #1251 is calling and inserts the plug of her cord circuit into contact 56 of the calling line to effect the energization of the cutoff relay 49 in the Well known manner, and

the listening relay 57 of the cord circuit is operated to effect the deenergization of relays -11 and d6, armature the locking circuit for the 59 of position #8 corresponding to the relays 18 and 41-4 is operated in the course of signaling the number of the calling line which has been assigned to this position, the locking circuits of the relays 18, 53 and 59 are opened to render the positions available for allotment in succession, so the next group of calls will appear at the position #1, that 1s; the first position ofthe series.

The locking circuits ]U.St mentioned are opened by the operation or" the slow releasing relay 21 which has an energizing circuit closed for itself from grounded batte its winding, conductor 60, baek contact and armature of relay 61 corresponding to reand front contact of relay 59, armature and back'co taet o relay 16, right hand contact and arms. ire of relay 141, key contacts conductor 12, armature and back contact of relay 11, right hand front contact and arma ure of relay 18, key contacts 19, conduct-or :0. back contact and armature of relay 21, and key contacts 22 to ground. Relay 21 is acti in this circuit and since it is slow to release opens series o't relays iust mentioned to effect their release. o Thereupon the multi-contact relay 14 is operated in a clrcuit extending trom grounded battery, its winding. baca contact and armature oi relay 18 and key contacts 22 to ground to allot position 1 for use.

The circuits shown in Fig. 2, are similar to the circuits of Fig. 1 with the exception that the multi-contact relays 61 and 62 re place the line relays such as 12, and the group relays such as 61, are PlOVlClQCl for each group of lines, and this relay or group of relays is to be provided with a set of contacts for each line of the group. The multi-contact relays 61 and G2 operate in succession after the manner of group relays 11 and l? of the arrangement of Fig. 1.

It will be understood that the conductors 63, 6 1-, 65 and 66, as well as conductors 78, T9 and 80 connect with the corresponding conductors of Fig. 1 at the point where these leads are indicated as being broken. With this understanding it is believed that it is unnecessary to describe the modification of Fig. 2, since it is similar to the operation of the system of Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 3, there is represented the upper portion of one section of a multi ple switchboard which is provided with 9 panels arranged for 3 operators positions. The upper portion of each of the panels generally designated 81 is provided with strips ct multiple jacks indicated at 82. The center panel of each operators posit-ion below the strips of multiple jacks is provided with two groups of'lamps, one group designated 83 being the. group of'thousands and hundreds lamps, such as are indicated at 30 and 'Z 5 of Fig. 1, and at 841: there is represented the tens and units group of'lamps, such as appear at 33 and 10 of'Fig. 1. The remainder of the board with its key shelf and cord circuits (not shown) may be similar to any of the well known arrangements now used.

FJhat I claim is:

1. In a telephonesystem, groups of telephone lines, operators positions at which said lines. terminate, means for allotting'operators" positions for use, means for associating groups of lines in succession With aid operators positions, and means for signaling toe designation of the calling lines of" group to allotted operators" position.

In a telephone system, a switchboardsaid telephone lines terminating in multiple.

jacks at said operators positions, a plurality of signals associated with said;operatorspo sit-ions, and means effective on theinitiation of a call for actuating a pluralityot said signals in a combination to indicate the designation or a calling line eachof said signals indicating only a portion of; said calling line dcsignaton, and cord circuits having switches for connection with said multiple jacks.

8. In a telephone system, a plurality of opcrators positions provided with line terminals, a plurality of telephone lines terminating in said terminals, groups of signals associated with said operators-positions, means for allot-ting operators positions for use, and means actuated on the initiation of a call over one of said telephone lines for ac tuating a plurality of signals togive the designation ofthe calling line to an allotted operators position.

1. In a telephone system, plurality of operators positions, telephone lines terminating in said positions, a group of lamps at each operators positionfor indicating the thousands and hundreds designation of calling lines, a second. group of lamps at each operators position for indicating the units and tens designation of calling lines, and means actuated on the initiation of a call for lighting a lamp in each group located at an operations position.

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lamp in each group of the allotted position to give the designation of said calling line.

6. In a telephone system, a plurality of operators positions, a plurality of telephone lines arranged in groups and connected to each of said operators positions, two groups of lamps at each operators position, the first for giving the thousands and hundreds designation of said lines, and a second group for giving the tens and units designation of said lines, means for allotting an operators position for use, means for successively associating said group of lines to the allotted opcrat-ofis position, and means actuated on the initiation of a call over a line that has been connected to an allotted operators position "for actuating a lamp in each group to give the designation of the calling line, and operator controlled means for connecting said calling line to a Wanted telephone line.

7. In a telephone system a plurality of telephone lines arranged in groups, a plurality of operators positions, means for allotting operators positions for use, means including a chain of relays operating in succession for associating one group of lines at a time with an allotted operators position, two groups of signals at each operators position, the first group for giving one part or the designation of calling lines, and the second group for giving another part of the designation of said calling lines, and means actuated on the initiation of a call over one of said lines for actuating two signals to give the designation of said line.

8. In a telephone system, a plurality Off operators posit-ions, means including a chain of relays actuated in succession for allot ting operators position for use, a plurality of telephone lines connected to each of saic operators positions, means including a chain of relays operating in succession for associating said groups of lines in rotation with an allotted operators position, a plurality of signals, means actuated on the initiation oil a call for operating a plurality of signals to give the designation of a calling line, and op erator controlled means for connecting said calling line to a Wanted telephone line.

9. In a. telephone system, a plurality of operators positions, means: including a chain of relays actuated in succession for allotting operators positions for use, means for looking an operated relay in that condition until the last relay of the chain is actuated, aplurality of telephone lines connected to each of said operators positions. means including a chain of relays operating in succession tor associating said groups of lines in rotation with an allotted operators position, a plurality of signals, means actuated on the initiation of a call for operating a plurality of signals to give the designation of a. calling line, and operator controlled means for connecting said calling line to a Wanted telephone line.

10. In a telephone system, a plurality of operators positions, means including a chain of relays actuated in succession for allotting operators positions for use, i'neans including locking circuit completed for each relay on its actuation, means effective on the actu ation oi the last relay of said chain for opensaid locking circuit, a plurality of telephone lincs connected to each of said operators positions, means including a chain of re: operating in succession for associating 7 ,groups of lines in rotation to an allotted operators position, a plurality of signals, means actuated on the initiation of a call for one *ating a plurality of signals to give the designation of a called line, and operator controlled means for connecting said calling line to a wanted telephone line.

11. lln a telephone system, a plurality of operators positions, a plurality of telephone lines terminating at each of said positions, a plurality of signals at each operators position less than the total number of lines terminating at said position, and means ac- ,uatcd on the initiation of a call for operating said signals to indicate the designation Of a calling telephone line.

in a telephone system, a plurality of ol'ierators positions, a plurality of telephone lines terminating at each of said operators positions, plurality of lamps at each operators position less than the number of lines terminating thereat, means for allotting an operatofis position for use, means actuated on the initiation of a call over one of said telephone lines for actuating a plurality of signals at the allotted operators position, and means for interconnecting said calling telephone line and a called telephone line.

13. In a telephone system, a plurality of operators positions, a plurality of telephone lines terminating thereat, two groups of signals at each operators position, one group containing a hundred signals, and the second group containing a signal for each group of one hundred lines terminating at each operators position, means operated on the initiation of a call for actuating a signal in each group to designate said callinh line, and means for interconnecting said calling line With a called line. i

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 24 day of Sept. A. D. 1920.

WARREN T. EASTWVOOD. 

